On 23 April, Cultura Creativa organised a local training activity in Alicante, Spain, to present the final version of the Youth Green Compass educational board game to a group of seven youth workers and young people interested in sustainability and non-formal education.
The main objective of the activity was to introduce participants to the game and provide them with a hands-on opportunity to experience one of the main educational outcomes developed through the Youth Green Compass project. The session also provided an opportunity to present the broader aims of the project and introduce participants to some of its initiatives, including the World Environmental Week.
Learning Through Gameplay
For the training, two complete game sets were prepared, including the educational cards and the wooden towers used throughout the gameplay. Participants were divided into two groups, allowing both groups to experience the game simultaneously while working independently on different challenges.
The Youth Green Compass game invites players to address sustainability-related challenges by balancing the interests of nature, society and the economy. Throughout the session, participants discussed possible solutions, defended their ideas and reflected on the complexity of decision-making processes connected to sustainable development.
One of the most valuable aspects of the activity was the exchange of ideas between groups. At the end of each round, participants presented their proposed solutions to the other group and to the facilitators. This created a space for discussion where participants could compare different approaches, learn from one another and gain a deeper understanding of the issues addressed by the game. Although each group faced different scenarios, everyone benefited from hearing how others analysed the challenges and developed their solutions.
Participants’ Feedback
The overall reaction to the game was highly positive. Participants appreciated its interactive format and highlighted the opportunity to explore environmental issues through discussion, creativity and teamwork. Many participants reported that the game helped them better understand sustainability-related topics and encouraged them to consider different perspectives when analysing complex problems.
According to the evaluation forms, participants particularly valued the opportunity to exchange viewpoints, discuss real-world environmental challenges and learn through an engaging non-formal educational methodology. Critical thinking, teamwork, environmental awareness and civic engagement were among the learning outcomes most frequently identified by participants.
Participants also provided reflections and suggestions regarding the gameplay experience. Among the most common recommendations were adding more event and challenge cards to increase the variety of scenarios, simplifying some card descriptions, incorporating a visible timer and making the scoring system easier to understand. Several participants also suggested creating more opportunities for discussion and questions between groups after each presentation of solutions.
Looking Ahead
Overall, the activity successfully introduced the Youth Green Compass educational game to local youth workers and young people, providing them with a practical experience of the project’s main educational output. Participants responded positively to the methodology and highlighted its potential to promote discussion, critical thinking and awareness of sustainability-related issues.
The feedback and reflections gathered during the session will help inform future dissemination and implementation activities, supporting the use of the Youth Green Compass game as an engaging educational tool for youth work and non-formal learning.
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